28/ MAY 2020 THE RIDER


through” with a chest bar, make sure the bar is un- hooked or down. Horses fear going into dark, con- fined areas—like a closed up trailer! Try to make the inside of the trailer look as much like the outdoors as possible. Put some good things


Palm Partnership Training™ Get Results You Can Use


“Trouble Free Trailer Loading”


By Lynn Palm There is nothing more


frustrating than having trou- ble loading your horse in a trailer. The way to avoid this is to take the time in the first place to properly teach your horse to load and un- load properly. We want each trailer loading experi- ence to be a positive one for the horse. A trailer loading experience that frightens or confuses him will only make the next loading ses- sion more difficult


to


achieve. Trailer loading is an


important lesson that builds on the basic training com- mands we taught the horse in earlier lessons. These in-


clude “come to me”, “move away from me”, “whoa”, and “back”. If his under- standing is not solid on these maneuvers, go back and re-teach them before moving on to the trailer loading lesson. Give you and your


horse a training advantage by taking these steps to properly prepare for this les- son.


Park the trailer you


will be using in enclosed paddock or small field when introducing this lesson. This will give you and your horse a more secure environment to work in. I prefer using a trailer with a ramp because it is a little easier for the


horse, but the same proce- dures will work just fine for a “step up” trailer. Back the trailer up so it


is close to and alongside a fence. The creates a “bar- rier” on one side of the trailer that will help keep your horse’s attention and concentration focused on the trailer. Keep the trailer hooked to the tow vehicle, if possible. This will make the trailer more stable. Be sure to set the vehicle’s brakes for extra safety and stability. Open all of the trailer’s


rear doors, walk through front doors, windows, etc. to allow the maximum amount of light to enter the trailer. If the trailer is a “walk


to eat in the trailer like a hay bag full of hay or oats in the feed tray. I always keep a full hay bag in my trailer. One of my friends calls this “trailer bait”. It is a tasty in- centive for the horse to enter the trailer, a reward when he does, and gives him his fa- vorite thing to do (eat) once he’s inside. Have all of the tools


you need to teach this lesson on hand. They include a longe whip, an in-hand whip, a lead line, and a longe line that has a snap on one end and a loop handle on the other end. Your horse should be equipped with a properly fitting halter, with the lead line attached, and leg protection for this les- son.


Your Next Step… The key to success is


being consistent in the pro- cedures we use each time we ask the horse to load into the trailer. Here’s an overview of proper steps for safe loading:


1. Let the horse “address the trailer”. This means allow- ing him to sniff and investi- gate it before asking him to load.


2. Position the horse at the end of the ramp (or edge of a step up trailer) keeping his body and head straight.


3. Stand part way up the ramp, or near the back edge of a step up trailer, facing your horse. Give the “come to me” command to get him to come toward you. Never pull on the lead to force him into the trailer. This only teaches him to lean against the lead. Be patient with this step.


4. As he moves up the ramp (or steps up into the trailer), back up so that you are en-


tering the trailer in front of him. Being in this position allows you to see his reac- tion and keep his body straight.


5. Once the horse follows you into the trailer, run the lead rope through the hay bag, but do not tie him up, yet. Fasten the chest bar. As he concentrates on eating his hay, step out of the trailer. Walk around to back the trailer to prepare for fas- tening the butt bar. For safety, always stand off to one side of the trailer in case your horse would kick or move backward. Pet and re- assure him as you fasten the butt bar.


6. Return to the horse’s head and tie his lead so he can stand comfortably without any tension on his head or the lead. There should be just a little slack in the lead when it is tied so he can’t get his head down too far and get into trouble. I like to tie my horses with a quick release safety knot with the lead passed through it. At


this point you are ready to close the trailer’s doors and ramp for departure!


Lynn’s Training Tip… Take the next step and


to learn how to teach your horse how to safely load and unload with my Longevity Series Video #2- “Advanced Ground Training”. In this video I demonstrate the step-by-step methods to use to introduce trailer loading to a young horse plus impor- tant safety tips. The 90- minute video is packed full of other important training techniques to teach your horse the ground training basics including bathing, clipping, and progressing to ground commands in less secure areas. Set a founda- tion for success with your horse from the ground up. Visit my website www.lyn- npalm.com, click on “On- Line Store” for more details on my Palm Partnership Training products to help you and your horse train at home to build a better part- nership together!


Distance Horse and Rider Development Program Awards The Distance Horse


and Rider Development Program, began in 2007 to provide Progressive Goals, and Recognition, in the sport of distance riding. This year it was pleased to offer special awards to teams entered in the Set Speed Team Challenge for 2019. The winning Team was pre- sented with their award at the OCTRA AGM in Cobourg Ont.


on


Feb.22/19 A Set Speed Ride is


a trail ride where riders compete against a stan- dard of performance, rather than each other.. They may be any dis- tance, and Riders are given a wide window to complete. It is up to the rider to know, and de- cide, how fast, or slow, to travel. Horses are checked during the ride, and the goal is to finish with a Grade I (perfect)


Photos: Left: Cathy Nooyen on Kevlar (photo Mike Turner) Top:Angela Kay with Rambo (photo Wendy Webb), Bottom: Bella Imbeault and Boo (photo Inka Imbeault)


score. At least one team member must be a novice to


theridermarketplace.com Searchable, Shareable,


Connected


the sport of distance riding. Each Team (of 3) sub- mitted their 10 best scores to compete for the honour of being Champion. This years’ winners are Team ‘RamBoo n


Kevlar’ with Bella Imbeault on Boo, Cathy Nooyen with Kevlar, and Angela Kay on Rambo, who did an outstanding job with three Grade II and seven Grade I Finishes. Congratulations to these riders , and their ded-


icated pitcrews for such smart riding and good horsemanship.


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